MEDIA RELEASE:
From Stylist to Award-Winning Owners: Laura & Wes’ Just Cuts Success Story
Laura and Wes, the husband-and-wife duo behind Just Cuts Grafton and Armidale, have been recognised as the 2025 Just Cuts Franchisees of the Year at the Just Cuts Annual Conference, this year held in the Barossa Valley.
With Salons in every state of Australia, on both the North and South Islands of New Zealand and within the United Kingdom, Just Cuts is the largest hairdressing company from the Southern Hemisphere.
The prestigious Franchisee of the Year Award recognises outstanding leadership, business growth, and community impact across the Just Cuts network, making it the top honour for Salon Owners internationally.
Laura, who started her career as a stylist over 20 years ago before becoming a Team Leader, said stepping into salon ownership was a natural progression.
“We already knew the systems and the support structures, so when we took on Grafton in 2019 and Armidale in 2021, it was a seamless step,” said Laura. “The Just Cuts Academy and wider network gave us everything we needed to succeed.”
Wesley, a proud Gomeroi man also started another new business consultancy, GombizSolutions, in October 2023. Gombiz is a reference to the Gomeroi people, one of the four largest Indigenous nations in Australia. The business and is a 100% Indigenous Owned and managed Company which builds governance capability within organisations and individuals, and my specialisation is in working with NFPs and community organisations.
“Just Cuts gave me the stability to do what I really wanted to do,” said Wesley. “Gombizbuilds governance capability within organisations and individuals, and my specialisation is in working with NFPs and community organisations.”
Wes said franchising offers the best of both worlds.
“The Just Cuts model gave us the opportunity to run our own local business backed by a strong brand, proven systems, and a supportive network,” Wes explained. “But real success comes when you pair that with a local approach - being present in the community, building trust with clients, and rolling up your sleeves on the Salon floor.”
He added that understanding the brand and its processes has been critical to their success.
“Like many new franchisees, it took us a little while to really grasp the power of the Just Cuts model,” said Wes. “But once we did, we saw firsthand how robust and resilient it is. Not a single Just Cuts salon closed during COVID - that speaks volumes about the strength of this system.”
Offering a no-appointment system, Just Cuts provides clients with affordable haircuts from fully qualified hairdressers.
Operating two Salons in regional NSW, the pair have embedded themselves deeply in their communities, supporting everything from charity raffles to iconic local events such as the Jacaranda Festival in Grafton and the Armidale Show.
“We’re never far from the floor, whether that’s chatting with clients or sweeping hair,” said Wes. “At the end of the day, it’s about building trust and connection, and we’re so proud of the wonderful relationship we have with our local clients community and our incredible team.”
Just Cuts Armidale Team Leader, Lisa Deegan, was also named a Top 3 finalist for Team Leader of the Year for 2025.
Just Cuts CEO, Amber Manning, congratulated Laura and Wes on their well earnedrecognition.
“Laura and Wes are role models in our network and we congratulate them on being named our Franchisees of the Year for 2025. They understand the brand, support their teams, and go above and beyond for their Clients and community. Their success is a powerful example of the power of franchising,” Ms Manning said.
With renovation plans underway for both salons and future expansion on the horizon, Laura and Wes are optimistic about what lies ahead.
“We’ve built our business on a foundation of strong systems and strong people,” said Laura. “This award motivates us to keep growing and contributing to the Just Cuts story.”
For media enquiries, please contact Sari-Elle Kraemer at skraemer@alphaconsulting.global or 0407 284 457